Universal joint or coupling



UNIVERSAL JOINT OR COUPLING Filed March 28. 1927 2 Shets-Sheet 1 FIG.

, the means being readily Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrics.

HERBERT CLARK, 0F WYLDE GREEN, ENGLAND.

UNIVERSAL JOINT OR COUPLING.

Application filed March 28, 1927, Serial No. 178,958, and in Great Britain December 28, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in universal joints or couplings such as are employed for connecting two shafts employed under such conditions that one shaft has movement relative to the other about one or both axes of the joint. Such joints are commonly employed in motor vehicle transmission gearing at each end of the propeller shaft or in the shaft betyveen the engine and the gearbox.

Joints of this type require effective lubrication to maintain their efliciency and keep down wear of the parts, and it is also desirable that they should be protected from road dust and grit.

These conditions are ditficult to ensure m practice as the joint is generally a floating one. In some cases al vided over the joint but this has to be laced around the shafts and is liable to come loose, and ditiiculty is experienced in making such a cover oil or grease-tight.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for efficiently lubricating and protecting a universal joint or coupling, applied to existing joints if desired.

Two practical forms of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a universal coupling fitted with a cover according to my invention the parts above the centre line being shown in section.

igure 2 is a similar view showing a modifiedform of cover.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a and b are the two main members of the coupling adapted to swivel around a common centre at c, the coupling being of known type. The peripheral surface of the coupling is of part-spherical contour as shown at d.

The cover or casing e shown in Fig. 1 is moulded in one piece from suitable flexible material such as rubber or rubber compound and is flexible, seamless, jointless and unbroken. The central part f of the casing is of sul stantial thickness and is of cylindrical outline externally but face i fitting closely around the part-spherical peripheral surface at of the coupling.

he casing is extended for a short distance on each side of the central part f to form annular pockets 9, before being curved inwardly at h to merge into short sleeves j v grease or oil is forced eather cover is pro b has a curved inner which lit tightly around the cylindrical ends of the coupling members a and b.

The pockets g are of substantial dimensions to contain lubricant, and suflicient lubricant can be carried in the pockets to keep the joint effectively lubricated over a very long period. For refilling the pockets a greaser can be screwed into an aperture is in the sleeve end of the coupling member a, and into the greaser by a grease-gun or like implement and is forced along the relief in the splines of the shafts or through passage-ways formed-therein to till the pockets g.

Lubricant cannot escape owing to the sleeves y at each end of the cas1ng which fit;

its presence does not appreciably affect the normal flexibility of the joint. I prefer a rubber compound for the Horrible material which is capable of being moulded, and at the same time such compounds are now known which are highly resistant to deterioration in the presence of oil or grease.

To fit the casing it is slipped on to the coupling from one end, one of the sleeves 7' being resiliently stretched to permit it to pass over the coupling. the diameter of which joint to an angle of, for instance, degrees, so that the casing may pass over it without sufficient distortion to unduly stretch the casing. In practice I have found it to be quite practicable to form the casings of material which, after being stretched to pass over the coupling, will contract to satisfactorily. grip the shaft.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 2 one end wall of the casing is replaced by a dished sheet metal closure member Z having a sleeve part m to fit around the outer end of the coupling member I), the sleeve part being located by a spring ring n in an annular recess in the member b. Th

by a ring an int-urned lip r of the slot. his construe tion avoids stretching of the casin when fitting it to a coupling, and prefera ly fabric is incorporated with the rubber or rubber compound in this case to strengthen the easmg.

At the other end of the casing an end g sprung under wall is formed by an integral inturned flange 8 having the form of a truncated cone which would have its apex at the centre of the coupling. The flange terminates in a bead t which is received in an annular groove in the coupling member a. The object of this arrangement is so that any movement of the coupling member a from the normal position shown will tend to stretch the flange t which will thus exert an inward pull on the casing and resist the outward pull of centrifugal force as the coupling rotates.

As an additional support for the casing it may be enclosed within a cylindrical sheet metal cover 11 extending from the flanged end to the plane of the centre of the cou pling. This cover is retained in position by a hollow rib e at or near one end l'itt'ing over a projecting annular rib w on the casin". The cover is adapted to he slipped on after the casing has been fitted to the coupling.

I claim:-

1. A cover for a universal coupling between two shafts comprising a flexible seamless and jointless casing moulded from flexible material having a central portion fitting closely around the coupling. annular pockets on each side of the central portion to receive lubricant, and means adapted to engage the coupling members and thereby close said pockets.

2. A cover for a universal coupling between two shafts-comprising a flexible seamless and jointless casing moulded from flexible material having a thickened central portion of said casing with a curved inner face to fit closely around a partly spherical peripheral contour of the couplin 3. A cover for universal couplings between two shafts, comprising a flexible and resilient moulded casing, a thickened intermediate portion fitting closely around a curved peripheral contour of the coupling, lubricant pockets on each side of said inter mediate thickened portion, and means provided with inner lips adapted to seal against the coupling members and constitute end closers.

4. A cover for universal couplings between two shafts, comprising a flexible and resilient moulded casing, a thickened intermediate portion fitting closely around a curved peripheral contour of the coupling, lubricant pockets on each side of said intermediate thickened port-ion, and means adapted to engage the coupling members and provided with inner lips adapted to seal against the coupling members and constitute end closers. one of said closers being a removable rigid ring member, and the other an integral inturned flange on said casing.

5. A cover for universal couplings between two shafts. comprising a flexible and resilient moulded casing, a thickened intermediate portion fitting closely around a curved peripheral contour of the coupling, .lubricant pockets on each side of said intermediate thickened portion, and means adapted to engage the coupling members and provided with inner lips adapted to seal against the coupling members and constituting end closers, one of said closers being a removable rigid ring member, and the other an integral inturned flange on said casing, the said integral flangebeing in the form of a truneated cone of which the apex would coincide with the axis of the coupling, and the extremity of the flange being received in an annular recess in one part of the couplin 6. A cover for universal couplings between two shafts, comprising a flexible and resilient moulded easing. a thickened intermediate portion fitting closely around a curved peripheral contour of the coupling, lubricant pockets on each side of said intermediate thickened portion, and means adapted to engage the coupling members and provided with inner lips adapted to seal against the coupling members-and-constitute end closers, and a cylindrical sheet metal cover enclosing a part of said casing. one of said closers being a removable rigid ring mem her, and the other an integral inturned flange on said casin".

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HERBERT CLARK. 

